Flint Culture was commissioned by the Creative Economy Agency of Indonesia (Bekraf) to provide strategic communications consultancy in support of Indonesia’s role as the Market Focus country at The London Book Fair 2019. The Market Focus initiative aims to develop the publishing trade of the selected country, introducing the nation’s authors and trade bodies to new international markets.

Over the eight month campaign term, Flint provided sector-specialist consultancy to Indonesia’s National Book Committee on the development and delivery of the Market Focus programme, managing stakeholder relationships with a steering committee of UK partners including the British Council, the Indonesian Embassy in London, the Publisher’s Association and the British Library.

Flint directed an integrated marketing and media strategy, managing media planning and buying alongside targeted press outreach. By profiling key professional and creative spokespeople including the 12 Indonesian authors at the forefront of the campaign, Flint delivered over 65 items of coverage in b2b and b2c media. The media campaign was supported by a week-long press trip to Jakarta which delivered high-profile coverage in the Guardian, the Bookseller, Culture Trip and on BBC Breakfast.

Working towards Bekraf’s key objective to diversify the impact of Market Focus beyond books, Flint commissioned a curator to develop a bespoke event at Asia House, engaging key press and publishing industry influencers around Indonesia’s broad cultural offer. Flint also developed and activated a programme of promotional partnerships, including a one-month display of Indonesian culture at Foyles Bookshop and a series of events with the Indonesian embassy.

In total, Indonesia closed 23 trade deals for books and film rights during the three day London Book Fair, with deals for an additional 400 Indonesian titles currently under negotiation.